Sam Hughes Scaief passed away on January 28th, 2022, while doing one of his favorite things — eating pistachio ice cream with hazelnut chocolate. Not a bad way to meet your maker. Those of us close to him will miss his easy-going, generous, no-nonsense manner and solid moral character.

Sam was a believer in the word of God and saw His work in the natural world. Sam seemed most at ease in nature and instilled that same appreciation for the outdoors in others. Much of Sam's life was spent in the salty waters of the Gulf Coast, the wilds of Texas, or the majestic mountains and clear rivers of Colorado. When Sam arrives in heaven, we're sure he'll pay a quick visit to his mother and father, Helen and Martin, his brother, John, and sister, Jane, before politely heading off to explore on his own. Sam was the definition of old school. If he has his druthers in the afterlife, he might step into the moccasins of a mountain man, co-existing with buffalo, elk, and beaver. Or who knows? Maybe he'll find peace as a Native American — Ute, Comanche, or Cheyenne.

Sam Hughes Scaief was born on October 29, 1940, in Harlingen, Texas, the last of five children born to Helen Hughes Scaief and Martin Howell Scaief. Sam was raised on a farm near San Benito, Texas. Fortunately for him, being the baby of the family had its perks. Farm operations were well-established and profitable, and his siblings have hinted that Sam was a tad bit spoiled. But on a farm in the 1940s, spoiled didn't mean easy. Sam attended public schools in San Benito and in high school, he played a bit of football and ran a little track. While Sam's mind was on passing grades, his heart was hunting, fishing, and shooting, which he did as often as possible.

Sam was an early adopter of SCUBA. He enjoyed diving and spearfishing around the Padre Island jetties as a young man. Like many farm kids, Sam had his fill of farm life and after high school, Sam volunteered for the Marines, but his hearing was damaged from shooting guns, and he was turned away. Sam attended college for a few years, meeting his college sweetheart, Sandra Chetkovich (née Grimsinger), at Southwest Texas State University in the early 1960s. Booted out of SWT for bad grades, Sam talked Sandra into ditching college and getting married. He formulated a plan to become a commercial pilot — using his farming experience as a stepping stone. Sam became a farmer in the Rio Grande Valley while, simultaneously obtaining his multi-engine, instructor pilot rating. With his pilot's license in hand, Sam quit farming to pursue a full-time flying career.

During this time in the Valley, Sam and Sandra welcomed two children, Susan and Sheri. Sandra's commitment to being an at-home mom and thrifty homemaker was critical to helping Sam embark on his career as a pilot. Near the end of the 1960s, Sam, Sandy, Susan, Sheri, and their young son, Sammy, bounced around Texas and the southern US while Sam built flight hours through instructor pilot jobs. They settled in Big Spring, Texas, where Sam taught primary flight training for US Air Force pilots. In 1972, Sam landed a job with the US Border Patrol and was stationed in Laredo, Texas. Eventually, he was promoted to aircraft pilot in the Border Patrol and, for the rest of his career, flew "low and slow" in Piper Super Cubs and Cessna 172s. Sam also obtained his rotary wing/helicopter rating in 1987, flying Hughes 500s and the Aerospatiale 355, along with fixed-wing aircraft. He retired from the Border Patrol at the McAllen Sector in 1997. After a short post-retirement break, Sam was compelled by his firearms expertise and passion for militaria to launch a second career as a gun dealer, becoming a fixture on the Texas gun show circuit. Over the next dozen or so years, Sam made countless new friends, earning a reputation as a respected go-to gun dealer for specialty firearms.

Throughout his adult life, Sam spent his time doing the things he loved — hunting and fishing, often in his home away from home of South Fork, Colorado. Sam and Sandra eventually divorced but remained committed parents to their three children. Sam's life included more love, marriage, and divorce, but these life changes never disrupted his bond with his children. In fact, Sam grew closer each year to his adult children and grandchildren and was a constant figure in their lives. Together, they marked holidays, hunted for the elusive elk, and shared meals. Sam was also close to his mother, Helen, the family matriarch whose name identifies the grassy drive leading to the family cabin. Sam was a tremendous son to Helen, keeping her company and tending to her needs in her last years. Sam also regularly checked in on and tended to Martin's sister, his Aunt Zona, who lived nearby.

Around age 75, Sam retired full-time to his ranchito on Geronimo Creek, where the sounds of bullfrogs, wild turkeys, and feral hogs were part of the ambiance. Sam enjoyed attending various churches in his later years, sizing up the quality of the sermons and moving on to the next if he didn't feel fired up. He planted fruit trees on his property, cleared the land with his trusty chainsaw, tended to his garden, and shredded the pasture on his tractor, accompanied by his canine companion. Sam raised birds of all kinds — chickens, turkeys, quail, ducks, pheasants, and guineas. Sometimes they'd become dinner for Sam, and other times, they became dinner for the local owls, hawks, raccoons, and coyotes. Of course, any predator caught in the act of eating a bird would be ruthlessly and efficiently dispatched by Sam. Old school, just the way we loved him.

Sam Hughes Scaief is survived by his siblings, Harold Scaief and Nancy Gustafson, his children, Susan Cavener, Sheri Scaief, Samuel Scaief, and his five grandchildren.

Sam has been an influence and inspiration to many. He will be deeply missed.

We will be Celebrating Sam's life on March, 26 2022. Contact spscaief@gmail.com .